I’ll spare you the boring introduction and will cut right to the chase: in this industry, there are winners and losers. People are interested in what winners have to say, follow their websites on a regular basis and advertisers want to associate their brand with them.

Who wouldn’t want to think like a winner? This may come as a huge surprise, but the answer could be “you”. A lot of people don’t realize it, but they have the attitude of a loser, they simply don’t think like winners and I will focus on one particular aspect which I personally find amusing.

Just Another [Insert Topic Here] Blog

I’m sure you have come across your share of blogs with “just another [insert topic here] blog” as their title. Alright then, as a potential loyal reader, I have one question: Why on Earth would I bother reading your blog if you admit that there’s nothing special about it?

You need to always put yourself in the position of a visitor. What would you say when you come across a blog with such a title? Would you bother coming back when you see that even the blogger doesn’t believe in his or her website? Let’s face it, if you don’t show confidence in your own project, why would you expect others to?

I’ll tell you what I do whenever I come across such a blog: I simply leave and never look back. Time is something I can’t afford to waste by reading what a loser has to say, something I can’t afford to waste by reading “just another blog”. If you have something special to offer and if you manage to convince me that following your blog is time well spent on your part, I will gladly return. If the information you are offering is worth it, I will even join programs you are promoting and find useful using your affiliate link, as I believe in rewarding people for adding value to the Web.

You need to understand that people have busy lives and that reading “just another blog” about “whatever” is not exactly on top of their priority list. A lot of bloggers out there try to build upon a shaky foundation: the business model of a loser. It should come as no surprise that they end up as yet another statistic, yet another name added to the “blogging failures” list.

Stand Out From The Crowd

Do you really think like a winner? What makes your blog special? What will you do in order to convince readers that following your blog is a decision they will not regret? It all starts with having the proper attitude. Don’t make the mistake of blogging about “whatever”, don’t make the mistake of being “just another blog”, there are millions of them out there already. The last thing the Web needs is another loser.

If you aren’t capable of thinking like a winner, if you don’t believe in yourself and in the value you can provide to your readers then I am afraid that a 9-5 job will just have to do. Not an option? Then it’s time to change your way of thinking, it’s time to understand that you are capable of providing value and it’s time to let the World know that there’s no stopping you.

*Editor Note – This post reminds me of a questions I’m often asked: “What’s the difference between you and the guy who works 9 to 5?” My answer used to be, “I think differently.” However, I have since changed the answer to, “I think.” – JC

I remember when I first started this blogging business and was advised on a daily basis to up date content. I was told it didn’t have to be anything special just a quick low quality entry. Well them blogs failed for much of the reasons mentioned. I never gave my readers anything to return for. Great Article!

Writing just for the sake of it is indeed not the way to go since let’s face it, people visit your website in order to gain information. Once you stop publishing quality content on a regular basis, readers will no longer have a valid reason to return and most of them won’t 🙂

I agree with you John. I feel what sets most sucessful people apart from others (not just in business but in life) is that they constantly “think”. If you are reading a blog or visiting a website, you have about 1.5 seconds (or less) to capture the readers attention. If you can’t get someones attention in that span, why even bother.

I’m a loser but I stick around the winners. Because winners need losers…right? If I thought like a winners, I will probably not visiting any blog on a regular basic because IM BUSY! Its good to have a positive thinking but you need a lot of experience to have a successful blog. That experience, the majority of people don’t have it! 😉

Actually, following great resources on a regular basis is not a waste of time as long as you are selective since let’s face it, no matter how knowledgeable you think you are, there is always room for improvement and keeping on top of things never hurts 🙂

Great article Alan. I think people who do have those blogs with the title “Just Another [insert here] Blog” are trying to use reverse psychology. Sometimes it works, which will be an article on my blog sometime, but for a title as your blog, you want to think wisely on what you are doing…because in general, it will make you look like just another average joe. I could actually see some exceptions to this, but for the most parts, stay away from those type of titles, especially beginning bloggers.
As for standing out, I think this mentality oftentime gets overlooked, or put in the back of the mind unfortunately. It is extremely vital however, to stand out from the millions of blogs out there, whether it’s great content, interesting layout, amazing ideas, etc. Understandably it’s not an easy thing to do, but that’s why you would stand out in the first place, because you’re willing to go that extra mile (or couple of miles).

“*Editor Note – This post reminds me of a questions I’m often asked: “What’s the difference between you and the guy who works 9 to 5?” My answer used to be, “I think differently.” However, I have since changed the answer to, “I think.” – JC”

Very true.
I read an interesting related quote:
“Thinking like a winner is the first step to living like a winner. You will become that which you think about most of the time. You are the architect of your personality and character. Your goal, your desire, is to be as successful, happy, and prosperous as you possibly can be in every aspect of your life. Therefore, the systematic development of a positive attitude is something that you need to work on every hour of every day. Continue to work on yourself and your thinking until you reach the point where you absolutely, positively believe yourself capable of winning in anything you sincerely want to accomplish.”

Quote: “in this industry, there are winners and losers. People are interested in what winners have to say, follow their websites on a regular basis and advertisers want to associate their brand with them.”

Crapola, according to my economics proffessor, and heres why.
– Advertisers follow the cattle, it’s just business.
– Herds amass to “ooh and aah”, its a freak show.
– The “winner” is only that because herds DO continue to amass. No herd, no cowboy. Luckily herds keep returning long after the grass has been eaten but they do eventually move on.

Freaky circle isn’t it ? Now call me a loser again please, actually call everyone who visits here but doesn’t have the same following a loser again Alan, I dare ya 🙂

BTW, don’t read between the lines too much on that, I’ve been reading too much cow. I guess I’m tired of reading “Moooooo, it’s trueeeeee” after every single piece of article written everywhere, lol. You’re going to have to earn the milk sometimes!

Alright then, here’s a scenario for you: let’s say you stumble upon a certain blog by accident, with “just another boring blog” as the title and a bunch of posts written just for the sake of it. What is your reaction? Do you label that person as a “loser”, leave and never look back or do you bookmark the blog and follow it on a regular basis?

On the other hand, if a well-known billionaire launches a blog and you find out about it, aren’t you interested in what that person has to say?

I understand what you were thinking when stating that advertisers are interested in following the herd, since that’s where potential customers come from. But out of the two blogs I’ve mentioned, which one do you think would end up being read by “the herd”? 🙂

I strongly believe in planning and smart time management (everything starts with having solid goals for your project, that’s the foundation you need to build upon) and, as a result of my business model, sponsors have been excited about what TheRatingBlog.com is all about and were more than pleased to sponsor the contest, for example. Your ability to create win-win situations for all parties involved will ultimately make or break you as a blogger.

I’m not sure how I feel about this (ironically considering my guest post a while back). There is definately an argument for projecting the image of success on yourself because then people will believe you’re succesful.

I think Alan makes a few good points about actively selling yourself – you need to offer *WHY* you’re worth reading. Claiming to be “yet another blog about X” will do nothing for you and I think that’s excellent advice.

John, I think it’s pretty arrogant of you to say that people working a 9-5 job don’t think. There are plenty of brilliant people that don’t have any desire to own their own business or be self employed etc.

I have to 2nd you on that John. So many people set themselves up for failure just because of the way they think and then they wonder why they keep getting the results they do. Negative thoughts = Negative results. It is that simple. When we begin to change out thoughts we begin to change our universe. 😎

"How I Went From Zero to Over $100,000 a Month"

The Original Dot Com Mogul

John Chow, a damn fine person, friend of the community, Ultimate Fighting Championship contestant, member of the Save the Whales Foundation, the man who controls the black market on baby seal pelts and member of the probably yo’ daddy foundation...

John Chow rocketed onto the blogging scene when he showed the income power of blogging by taking his blog from making zero to over $40,000 per month in just two years.